Sunday, February 23, 2014

Open for Business

As you may recall Handsome Husband and I traveled to Dallas
to experience an exhibit of Joaquin Sorolla’s paintings put together by Meadows Museum.

I purchased "Sorolla, The Masterworks" as a memento of a terrific weekend with
one of the greats. (Well, four of the greats; HH, Sis, Sis’s HH and Sorolla.)

One entry in the book caught my eye, a quote from Sorolla himself:

“In all reality I do not appear to be an artist. I am more
adherent to rules than a soldier…”

An artist saying
that?

And this statement by the author (and granddaughter of
Joaquin), Blanca Pons-Sorolla:

“The enormous output of which he was capable can only be
explained by the fact that he was a person who…lived an organized life”.

In this age of breaking rules for no other reason than to
say we broke a rule, of going with the flow even if it means flowing right down
the drain, and doing whatever it is that makes you feel good, these statements
stood out like a Rembrandt at MOMA. Rules? Schedules? Organized?

Joaquin Sorolla created over 4,000 art pieces in his career
and in my humble opinion some of the finest artwork ever painted. You don’t do
that by “flowing”.

After the
holidays I threw my schedule to the winds for no apparent good reason. While it
felt good for a week or two, it didn’t take long for me to see that if I wanted
to move forward, I’d have to have a plan. That plan included a calendar and a
clock.

I’m back
at it now, showing up for work just like the folks at the local grocery store and
lumber yard. I may never have 4,000 paintings and drawings to put my name on
but it’s a sure thing I won’t unless I decide it’s important enough to set some rules.

1. Be in charge of your own schedule.

1. Show up on
time.

2. Paint.

3. Read about painting when you’re not painting.

4. Let the phone ring. Email can wait. Allow
the dishes to soak another hour or two. Clean laundry

is for sissies.

“A
schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a
scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections
of time.”